Thursday, February 23

Guest Post & Giveaway: Gabriella Hewitt

Aztec Myths that Enchant

The second novella in my Shadow Warrior
series comes out March 20th from Samhain Publishing. Yeah! I’m
counting down the days until release.

Writing is never easy, but in a
paranormal romance, there is the extra aspect of world building. While SHADOW
VISIONS is a contemporary story, it weaves Aztec mythology and culture into the
plot making for a rich storytelling experience.

Aztec mythology isn’t as well known as the
Greek, Roman or even Norse myths. Although people may be familiar with Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec sun god, they
probably have never heard of Ehecatl, god of the wind. Aztec names are not the
easiest to pronounce, are they?

The wind god plays an important role in
this story. In the Aztec creation myth, when the fourth sun was destroyed, the
gods gathered to decide what to do. Two gods jumped into a sacrificial fire.
One became the sun and the other the moon. However, it wasn’t until Ehecatl
blew on them that they were able to move. Thus, his other name is Yohualli
Ehecatl, the One Who Moves Matter in the Universe. In fact, it is said that
Ehecatl has no corporeal form.

There is another myth attached to
Ehecatl. It is one of love and passion and tragedy. There is a goddess called
Itzpapaloti who was feared greatly by the Aztecs. It was said that she wore a
necklace of human hearts, and during a solar eclipse, when the moon swallowed
the sun, the goddess would come down and devour all humanity. Now, Itzpapaloti
had a mortal granddaughter named Mayahuel, a beautiful young maiden that she
kept hidden in the farthest corners of the universe. Mayahuel was lonely and
longed for companionship. One day, Mayahuel felt the caress of the wind god and
became enchanted. Every night the wind god would visit the young maiden and transport
her to different parts of the universe. Within the wind’s embrace the two
lovers became one. However, Itzpapaloti discovered the two were meeting and
became enraged. She sent her tzitzimime,
celestial demons, out to search for them.

Mayahuel and Ehecatl embraced and
combined to form a plant. One side became the feminine side and the other the
masculine side. The plant took root in the desert, where it stood solitary and
proud. The tzitzimime discovered the
hiding place of the lovers and broke off the branch of Mayahuel, tearing it
into pieces. After they left, Ehecatl became the wind once more. He grieved for
his lost love and buried the pieces. At that spot grew the first maguey plant.
It is from this plant that they syrup agave is produced, not to mention Pulque,
a favorite alcoholic beverage of the gods.

Researching Aztec myths is fascinating.
Threading them into my shadow warrior tales has been fun and challenging. I’ll
leave you with a blurb and an excerpt from my first shadow warriors novella,
OUT OF THE SHADOWS. I hope you enjoy it. Don’t forget to stay tuned for the
next installment, SHADOW VISIONS, coming very soon!

You can always find out what I am up to
by visiting my website at www.GabriellaHewitt.com
. Check out my other series and my free recipe booklets.

In celebration of the 2nd
book in the SHADOW WARRIOR series, I am holding a contest. Anyone
who comments in this post will be eligible to win a copy of my first Shadow
Warriors novella, OUT OF THE SHADOWS.
In your comment, please put your email address, so that I can contact the
winner.

EBOOK Order
Available everywhere ebooks are soldBook One – OUT OF THE SHADOWS

When the last shadow warrior falls, so will all humanity.With each demon he vanquishes in service to the Aztec sun god, Tomás
fulfills his duty to defend humankind—and surrenders another piece of his
humanity to his wolf spirit. All hope seems lost until a mission leads him to
the door of the one thing he thought he’d never find…his spirit mate. The only
woman who can save him from oblivion.When Carolina hears the wolf’s howl, it pierces the very core of her lonely
heart. Yet she dare not answer. As the last guardian of her land and the secret
it contains, she is haunted by the mistake that cost the lives of her family.
Never will she repeat that mistake, especially with a warrior who is more beast
than man.Chasing away the demon is easier than breaching the barriers around the
heart of the young woman who possesses a strange power over water—and his very
soul. But if they are to survive the night, he must convince her they are
destined to stand together.

***EXCERPT***A wolf’s howl pierced the desert silence, causing the animals to stir
restlessly in their stalls. Wolves had been reintroduced into Arizona, but she
had yet to see or hear one so close to her ranch. Was it an omen?Carolina paused in her chores to stare out the open barn door into the
gathering darkness.
For a moment, she let herself get caught up in the long, solitary note. It felt
like a kindred spirit. She knew loneliness intimately. Only her loneliness did
not come from the vast miles of the sun-parched Sonoran desert that surrounded
her, but out of the necessity to protect her goddess, her land’s secret. As one
of the few amongst her people to become a guardian, her choices were limited.The one occasion she’d invested herself in another, he’d betrayed her. She’d
foolishly placed her hope and trust in Billy and she’d paid a horrendous price.
Her desire to find someone to share the workload, her joy and sadness, and the
burden of her secret—just as her parents had done—had blinded her to the trap
she’d walked into. By the time she understood what was happening, it was too
late. Her parents were dead.Her heart weighed heavy in her chest as if it had happened recently and not
five years ago. The memory of her parents lingered too close to the surface
today. This had been their land, their dream, and now it was hers to fight for.
She’d vowed never to fail them again. Above her own needs came the higher
purpose of protecting her goddess at all costs.Her mare, Mariposa, snorted and reared up, pulling Carolina from her
thoughts. The animals had been growing edgier with each passing minute. They
sensed the evil that blew in with the warm desert breeze. She berated herself
for not paying more attention to them.
Goose bumps prickled her skin. Her tattoo, a gift from the goddess, began a
slow burn on her shoulder, a sure sign that evil was approaching. She felt the
heat radiating through the fabric of her denim shirt. The last time she’d
experienced the odd sensation, her world had fallen apart.Cautiously, she turned her head, seeking the source.Her breath came out in a gasp.Less than ten feet away sat a magnificent gray wolf, watching her. Waiting.

Thanks Roni. There are actually several variations on the tale. I think that's partly due to the fact that much of the Aztec's written history was destroyed. All that we have is what was transcribed by Spanish monks/priests and conquistadors (who were not above altering some aspects) or that was passed down orally. It's a fascinating culture.